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View Full Version : Lactose found in Tomato Ketchup!


JohnnyMcAuley
19-06-2006, 01:26 PM
:angry: I have been recently shocked to find that Branston have been using milk products in their new tomato ketchup and I wanted to bring this to the attention of fellow consumers and/or lactose intolernat sufferers who, like my wife, would not automatically think to look on the label of a bottle of ketchup for any ‘nasty’ ingredients.

My wife bought a bottle of Branston Tomato ketchup during her last shop. She wanted to give it a try as it’s a new product I gather, thinking nothing of it. Our youngest son is lactose intolerant and became ill after eating a perfectly normal supper of fish fingers and chips with some ketchup on the side; his favourite treat. It was only when we investigated further that we found this new ketchup has milk products in it, hence the adverse reaction. Why, I ask myself should such an ingredient have a place in such a product I do not know, but surely they should flag it in some way to stop others making a similar mistake?

When my wife contacted the customer care department at Branston to explain what had happened, the inference was that she was a bad mother and that she should have checked the ingredients in the product first, if she knew our son was intolerant. I find this totally unacceptable and naturally she was very upset by this. I have to say I am amazed they took such a relaxed attitude on the phone, and really do feel such a large company as Branstons should have a sense of duty to inform its customers as to ingredients you’d not expect to find in their sauce. I am also surprised that Branston’s is putting these ingredients into their products, what happened to good, old-fashioned tomatoes?!

I felt it my duty to bring this matter to your attention so that we can raise awareness of this and help avoid a similar distressing situation happening to other lactose intolerant children and adults.

happycat
19-06-2006, 02:54 PM
Johnny sorry to hear about your problems with tomato ketchup. I have never seen this product.

Personally I always look at labels for the ingredients in any processed foods I buy and would advise anyone who has any type of food allergy or intolerance to do the same.

And I don't like saying this but if Branston have clearly labelled all the ingredients in their product how come they are responsible if you mistakenly buy it.

ellsie
19-06-2006, 03:35 PM
Some own brands also have this problem.

jill
19-06-2006, 07:41 PM
I remember seeing some pickled red cabbage that also had milk in, Why? Thing is why is it put in alot of things - we will never know and I suppose we are in the minority so they are not going to give justification, it is down to us to be vigilent I am afraid.

Copper
19-06-2006, 10:00 PM
I learnt early on not to trust any food. I spend hours checking labels but I have to admit once checked I don't keep checking unless it says new improved. I get annoyed and depressed about the number of foods that include lactose.

Caroloujo
19-06-2006, 10:06 PM
I just went to check which ketchup i have....It's Hienze organic.....Didnt even know it was organic...Tastes the same as any other ,no lactose....But arnt the labelings for these foods get smaller n smaller, i needed a microscope to see it...:)

matt
20-06-2006, 03:52 AM
welcome to the site, unfortunately it's a fact of life that lactose is a nice cheap bulking agent so is often used.

you get used to reading the ingredient list for everything new or not as they tend to change receipes on us with no notice.... we'll each have a story to tell of something similar.

goose
20-06-2006, 10:11 AM
Welcome to the site.:bwelcome:

JohnnyMcAuley
20-06-2006, 02:15 PM
I don't think I was implicityly suggesting that Branston are responsible for my 'mistake' as you put, what I wanted to raise, and what shocked me, is the type of ingredients they are using in their products.

Why on earth should they pertain to position themselves as a household brand who provide traditional food stuffs, when they are putting lactose in tomato ketchup!

Why can't they stick to traditional recipes - it's not good enough that we have to second guess everything these days.

When is a tomato not a tomato - when it's Branston tomato ketchup...!

bella
20-06-2006, 07:00 PM
Hi johnny.

My son has galactosaemia, he cannot have lactose. That is for life.
He is 3 and a half years old. Since he was born i have had to read the ingredients of every single thing I buy him to eat. I have got used to doing this. I agree I was amazed at how many food products have lactose in and at how many different ways it is described.
I have never questioned why lactose is anything and I know that if anyone did it would make no difference at all. I have made mistakes too. It happens to us all.

Anyway, welcome to the site.

matt
21-06-2006, 04:37 AM
you're preaching to the converted!!!

we've also found things like milk in dairy free icecream........

i have to avoid wheat /gluten as well. now that's in everyting!

:o

Pam
21-06-2006, 06:39 AM
Hi Johnny, welcome to the site.

Under the new labelling laws I think allergens have to be listed, but as has already been said, the label print is getting smaller and smaller and you just don't always think to look at the ingredients for something which appears to be harmless.

Unfortunately you have learned the hard way that the only way to be sure is to read the ingredients list of every product every time you buy it as they are prone to changing the recipe without letting us know.

I don't really think Branston can be taken to task on this, all companies stick milk in here and there, they are certainly not alone. As annoying as it is, there's not much we can do other than being vigilant and checking labels.